New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-02
Observation-Disclosures LIFE.

Mrs. Helen Cnmpbclis article IN to-day
TRIBUNE concerns that ugly problem of the
day, tcnement-hou1e life. 1t is not cucourag-
=, to see how Intellectual have been the eiiorts
of those earnest relormers who have sought to
cleanse and purify the homes of the poorest
classes. Fuller experience Of tencment-holse
life has indeed resulted in demonstrating how
much more complex the problem IF reform is
than it appeared at first. We know now that
even were il possible to compel landlords To do
their duty 10 their tenants, the main difficult
ties would still lie far from solution. Wore
alize that the neglect of the landlords Is only
one factor in the situation. aud that tho nn-
clearly habits of the tenants themselves in 4
large class of cascs seem to render useless any
attempt to provide them with decent haDita-
tons. SO too We perceive that lille the habit
OF drink aggravatcs all the suiicrings of those
who yield to il, the unsanitary conditions in
which they live create II craving for liquor as
sort of prophylactic and that tho evils
about them rcact and lnteract upon and with
one another continually. All this, however,
does not warrant the abandonment Ct remedial
measures. 1t only shows that the matter is
difficult, and that partial failure must not dis
courage those " no undertake it,
At first Sht it may Seem obvious that the
landlords OF the tcnement-hOuses ought To be
compelled TO introduce and maintain sanitary
plumbing IN them. But the case is not simple.
Ii is necessary to get the tenants To use in
stead OF abusing the cOnvcnicnccs provided
for them, aud hitherto this has been found
almost impossible. When, as IN London,
model lodglng-houscs have been built, they
have been filled at once with n much more
advanced class than nhabit the lower tcne-
menl- houses, and those for whom they were
intended have actually Stunned them. In a few
instances sef-sacrilicing women like Miss
Octayia Hill have by sheer force Of example.
and by living for months among the workers.
persuaded them To amend their habits and to
take some pride in cleanliness. But it is not
possible to put n whole great class to school in
this way, and the general outcome is that the
tenements retain their old character, winch
is fixed by the least advanced of their Occu-
pants and the better bred and more ciclliZed
are forced to drag on their lives in misery
almost 1nimaginable. Nevertheless it Is
question not yet determined whether tho
existing SANITARY machinery cannot be made,
by mOie energetic ana persistent working, to
produce better results. The fact that the
lower icnemcnt-houses aio denominations is
obvious, and we DO not believe society will
accept the statement that they cannot be I'M
proved. Rather it will declare that there is no
evidence to show that tho utmost possible
has been accomplished.
The maintenance of sanitary conditions in
these houses would probably involve the employ-
ment of much larger staff Of inspection and
supervision than is now provided for. The
landlords ha, ing been compelled to pat their
buildings in order, the tenants would have to
be looked after sharply to make them keep up
the improved state of things. In the end their
own experience might cony nce them that it
was more comfortable to be clean and sweet
than to be dirty and breathe stenches day and